Seed corn tester



, T. M. ROBERTS sEEDcoRM TESTER 275 kwijl,

Filed May 24 1926 Patented Oct. 11, 192,7.

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Ar corriere veffroi/refs Mines Renners, A.our vvintiscali, iowa. n

SEED CORN Application filed May 24,

The object oi my invention is to provide a seed corn tester of simple, durable and iner; iensive construction.

Further and more particular objects ot my `invention are to pro Tide a seed corn tesier invention consists in the construction, ar-- rangement and combination ot' the varions parts ot my reed corn tester, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top or plan View ot my improved seed corn tester, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the parts being broken away and parts shown "n section.

Figure 3 is a detail, sectional view on the line ot Figure 2; and

Figure el is detail, sectional view of one the absorbent devices having the pockets.

ln the drawings herewith, have used the reference numeral to indicate the container or casin `I` forming a part of my seed corn tester. 'l ne casing is open at its upper end. and is provided at its top with a peripheral horizontal liange extending outwardly, :is at 1l. The casing is provided at the bottom Vith a pet cock 12.

l provide a top or closure member for the casing, comprising a pan 13 having a per- 'lorated bottom 14 and the peripheral, outwardly extending iiange 15, at its upper edge. Secured to the under side ot the bottom 14 ot the pan 13 is a series ot supportina` devices 16, having substantially the form otplarge safety pins. These supporting desame, being taken vices 16 have mounted on them a series of absorbent blankets or the like 17, which l will call the seed holders.

Each seed holder comprises two strips 17a and 1'1"b of absorbent material. The two strips 17a and 17h of each seed holder17 are Sewed together by vertical, and horizontal rows of stitches 18, which are so arranged as to divide the seed holder into squares. The member 1'?b is provided with a horizontal position and Awater :is poured into it.

1926. Serial no. 111,266.

slit x19 ,at the top ,oi each square or thus toi-"ming .a poc-kethaving an open .upper end through which access may be had to its ;nterior.

The seed corner the .like 20 is .placed in the pockets.

ln the ,actual ue oli: the device, l place in each pocket one Aor more grains o1 corn from an ear. 'Ehe cover member 13 is then .put in 'lie water .passes down through ,the perfora# tions in the bottom 1e and is largely absorbed by the seed corn holders 17.

The device is then kept under proper tenr peratnre conditions tor a suitable length ot' time, and then the seed may be examined for determining which ears would make good seed corn.

il] hen the device is filled with corn and the holders are thoroughly dampened, it will be seen that the tester is quite heavy. It is therefore desirable that means be provided for conveniently moving it from place' to place. lt is also desirable that the handle or other means tor transporting the device trom place to place should be removable.

l therefore provide near the top of the device a series ot horizontally aligned lugs 21. rlhese lugs are arranged in' pairs, the inembers otl which are vertically spaced.

F or a handle, I provide a yoke 22, which is somewhat resilient and extends around one'side and two ends of the casing 10 .and projects beyond the ends of the casing 10 slightly at the free ends of the arms or said yoke. The projecting ends of the yoke Vrelceive a rod .23, one end of which isscrewthreaded, as at 2e, to cooperate with screwthreads in the appropriate projecting end ot the yoke 22. rl`he other end of the rod 23 is bent at right angles to the main body ot the rod,- as atl 25, to serve as a handle for screwing the rod into place.

l provide a bail 26, the ends of which are in-turned as at 27 (Figure 1) and are rotatably mounted in the yoke 22.

By means ot the bail 26, which serves as a handle, the seed corn tester may be con'- veniently moved from place to place.

It should perhaps be mentioned that extending downwardly from the bottomlt are rows ofl hooks 32, which hold the supporting devices 16, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

1t will be seen that I have provided a comparatively simple seed corn tester, which can be readily and easily transported from place to place. It Will hold a comparatively large amount of seed corn in a comparatively small space. It can be easily manipulated for the purposes desired. When the user Wishes to examine the seed corn, the pan member 13 is simply removed and the seed corn holder 17 laid fiat. The seed corn in each pocket of the upper holder may be examined, and that holder may then be folded over out of the Way or may be entirely removed from the holder devices lo', if desired.

Some changes may be made in thedetails of the construction and arrangement of the parts of my improved seed corn tester, and it is my intention to cover by the claims of the patent to be issued upon'my application, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention: n

l. In a device of the class described, acasing' open at its upper end, a closure member for said upper end comprising a pan with a perforated bottom, a. series of supporting` devices on the under side ot" said pan a series of seed corn holders comprising strips of absorbent material provided with pockets, said supportingdevices being adapted to support the seed corn holders.

2. In a device of the class described, a casing open at its upper end, a closure member for said upper end comprising` a pan with. a perforated bottom, a series of supporting devices on the under side of said pan, a series of seed corn holders comprising strips of absorbent material provided With pockets, said supporting devices being adapted to detachably supportr said holders.

THOMAS MILES ROBERTS. 

